diff --git a/tests/guest-debug/run-test.py b/tests/guest-debug/run-test.py
index b13b27d4b1..368ff8a890 100755
--- a/tests/guest-debug/run-test.py
+++ b/tests/guest-debug/run-test.py
@@ -97,7 +97,12 @@ def log(output, msg):
     sleep(1)
     log(output, "GDB CMD: %s" % (gdb_cmd))
 
-    result = subprocess.call(gdb_cmd, shell=True, stdout=output, stderr=stderr)
+    gdb_env = dict(os.environ)
+    gdb_pythonpath = gdb_env.get("PYTHONPATH", "").split(os.pathsep)
+    gdb_pythonpath.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)))
+    gdb_env["PYTHONPATH"] = os.pathsep.join(gdb_pythonpath)
+    result = subprocess.call(gdb_cmd, shell=True, stdout=output, stderr=stderr,
+                             env=gdb_env)
 
     # A result of greater than 128 indicates a fatal signal (likely a
     # crash due to gdb internal failure). That's a problem for GDB and
diff --git a/tests/guest-debug/test_gdbstub.py b/tests/guest-debug/test_gdbstub.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7f71d34da1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/guest-debug/test_gdbstub.py
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+"""Helper functions for gdbstub testing
+
+"""
+from __future__ import print_function
+import gdb
+import os
+import sys
+import traceback
+
+fail_count = 0
+
+
+def report(cond, msg):
+    """Report success/fail of a test"""
+    if cond:
+        print("PASS: {}".format(msg))
+    else:
+        print("FAIL: {}".format(msg))
+        global fail_count
+        fail_count += 1
+
+
+def main(test, expected_arch=None):
+    """Run a test function
+
+    This runs as the script it sourced (via -x, via run-test.py)."""
+    try:
+        inferior = gdb.selected_inferior()
+        arch = inferior.architecture()
+        print("ATTACHED: {}".format(arch.name()))
+        if expected_arch is not None:
+            report(arch.name() == expected_arch,
+                   "connected to {}".format(expected_arch))
+    except (gdb.error, AttributeError):
+        print("SKIP: not connected")
+        exit(0)
+
+    if gdb.parse_and_eval("$pc") == 0:
+        print("SKIP: PC not set")
+        exit(0)
+
+    try:
+        test()
+    except:
+        print("GDB Exception:")
+        traceback.print_exc(file=sys.stdout)
+        global fail_count
+        fail_count += 1
+        if "QEMU_TEST_INTERACTIVE" in os.environ:
+            import code
+            code.InteractiveConsole(locals=globals()).interact()
+        raise
+
+    try:
+        gdb.execute("kill")
+    except gdb.error:
+        pass
+
+    print("All tests complete: {} failures".format(fail_count))
+    exit(fail_count)
diff --git a/tests/tcg/aarch64/gdbstub/test-sve-ioctl.py b/tests/tcg/aarch64/gdbstub/test-sve-ioctl.py
index ee8d467e59..a78a3a2514 100644
--- a/tests/tcg/aarch64/gdbstub/test-sve-ioctl.py
+++ b/tests/tcg/aarch64/gdbstub/test-sve-ioctl.py
@@ -8,19 +8,10 @@
 #
 
 import gdb
-import sys
+from test_gdbstub import main, report
 
 initial_vlen = 0
-failcount = 0
 
-def report(cond, msg):
-    "Report success/fail of test"
-    if cond:
-        print ("PASS: %s" % (msg))
-    else:
-        print ("FAIL: %s" % (msg))
-        global failcount
-        failcount += 1
 
 class TestBreakpoint(gdb.Breakpoint):
     def __init__(self, sym_name="__sve_ld_done"):
@@ -64,26 +55,5 @@ def run_test():
 
     gdb.execute("c")
 
-#
-# This runs as the script it sourced (via -x, via run-test.py)
-#
-try:
-    inferior = gdb.selected_inferior()
-    arch = inferior.architecture()
-    report(arch.name() == "aarch64", "connected to aarch64")
-except (gdb.error, AttributeError):
-    print("SKIPPING (not connected)", file=sys.stderr)
-    exit(0)
 
-try:
-    # Run the actual tests
-    run_test()
-except:
-    print ("GDB Exception: %s" % (sys.exc_info()[0]))
-    failcount += 1
-    import code
-    code.InteractiveConsole(locals=globals()).interact()
-    raise
-
-print("All tests complete: %d failures" % failcount)
-exit(failcount)
+main(run_test, expected_arch="aarch64")
diff --git a/tests/tcg/aarch64/gdbstub/test-sve.py b/tests/tcg/aarch64/gdbstub/test-sve.py
index afd8ece98d..84cdcd4a32 100644
--- a/tests/tcg/aarch64/gdbstub/test-sve.py
+++ b/tests/tcg/aarch64/gdbstub/test-sve.py
@@ -6,20 +6,10 @@
 #
 
 import gdb
-import sys
+from test_gdbstub import main, report
 
 MAGIC = 0xDEADBEEF
 
-failcount = 0
-
-def report(cond, msg):
-    "Report success/fail of test"
-    if cond:
-        print ("PASS: %s" % (msg))
-    else:
-        print ("FAIL: %s" % (msg))
-        global failcount
-        failcount += 1
 
 def run_test():
     "Run through the tests one by one"
@@ -54,24 +44,5 @@ def run_test():
             report(str(v.type) == "uint64_t", "size of %s" % (reg))
             report(int(v) == MAGIC, "%s is 0x%x" % (reg, MAGIC))
 
-#
-# This runs as the script it sourced (via -x, via run-test.py)
-#
-try:
-    inferior = gdb.selected_inferior()
-    arch = inferior.architecture()
-    report(arch.name() == "aarch64", "connected to aarch64")
-except (gdb.error, AttributeError):
-    print("SKIPPING (not connected)", file=sys.stderr)
-    exit(0)
 
-try:
-    # Run the actual tests
-    run_test()
-except:
-    print ("GDB Exception: %s" % (sys.exc_info()[0]))
-    failcount += 1
-
-print("All tests complete: %d failures" % failcount)
-
-exit(failcount)
+main(run_test, expected_arch="aarch64")
diff --git a/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/interrupt.py b/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/interrupt.py
index c016e7afbb..90a45b5140 100644
--- a/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/interrupt.py
+++ b/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/interrupt.py
@@ -8,19 +8,7 @@
 #
 
 import gdb
-import sys
-
-failcount = 0
-
-
-def report(cond, msg):
-    "Report success/fail of test"
-    if cond:
-        print("PASS: %s" % (msg))
-    else:
-        print("FAIL: %s" % (msg))
-        global failcount
-        failcount += 1
+from test_gdbstub import main, report
 
 
 def check_interrupt(thread):
@@ -59,6 +47,9 @@ def run_test():
     Test if interrupting the code always lands us on the same thread when
     running with scheduler-lock enabled.
     """
+    if len(gdb.selected_inferior().threads()) == 1:
+        print("SKIP: set to run on a single thread")
+        exit(0)
 
     gdb.execute("set scheduler-locking on")
     for thread in gdb.selected_inferior().threads():
@@ -66,32 +57,4 @@ def run_test():
                "thread %d resumes correctly on interrupt" % thread.num)
 
 
-#
-# This runs as the script it sourced (via -x, via run-test.py)
-#
-try:
-    inferior = gdb.selected_inferior()
-    arch = inferior.architecture()
-    print("ATTACHED: %s" % arch.name())
-except (gdb.error, AttributeError):
-    print("SKIPPING (not connected)", file=sys.stderr)
-    exit(0)
-
-if gdb.parse_and_eval('$pc') == 0:
-    print("SKIP: PC not set")
-    exit(0)
-if len(gdb.selected_inferior().threads()) == 1:
-    print("SKIP: set to run on a single thread")
-    exit(0)
-
-try:
-    # Run the actual tests
-    run_test()
-except (gdb.error):
-    print("GDB Exception: %s" % (sys.exc_info()[0]))
-    failcount += 1
-    pass
-
-# Finally kill the inferior and exit gdb with a count of failures
-gdb.execute("kill")
-exit(failcount)
+main(run_test)
diff --git a/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/memory.py b/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/memory.py
index fb1d06b7bb..532b92e7fb 100644
--- a/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/memory.py
+++ b/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/memory.py
@@ -9,18 +9,7 @@
 
 import gdb
 import sys
-
-failcount = 0
-
-
-def report(cond, msg):
-    "Report success/fail of test"
-    if cond:
-        print("PASS: %s" % (msg))
-    else:
-        print("FAIL: %s" % (msg))
-        global failcount
-        failcount += 1
+from test_gdbstub import main, report
 
 
 def check_step():
@@ -99,29 +88,5 @@ def run_test():
 
     report(cbp.hit_count == 0, "didn't reach backstop")
 
-#
-# This runs as the script it sourced (via -x, via run-test.py)
-#
-try:
-    inferior = gdb.selected_inferior()
-    arch = inferior.architecture()
-    print("ATTACHED: %s" % arch.name())
-except (gdb.error, AttributeError):
-    print("SKIPPING (not connected)", file=sys.stderr)
-    exit(0)
 
-if gdb.parse_and_eval('$pc') == 0:
-    print("SKIP: PC not set")
-    exit(0)
-
-try:
-    # Run the actual tests
-    run_test()
-except (gdb.error):
-    print("GDB Exception: %s" % (sys.exc_info()[0]))
-    failcount += 1
-    pass
-
-# Finally kill the inferior and exit gdb with a count of failures
-gdb.execute("kill")
-exit(failcount)
+main(run_test)
diff --git a/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/registers.py b/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/registers.py
index 688c061107..b3d13cb077 100644
--- a/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/registers.py
+++ b/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/registers.py
@@ -7,20 +7,11 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
 
 import gdb
-import sys
 import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
+from test_gdbstub import main, report
+
 
 initial_vlen = 0
-failcount = 0
-
-def report(cond, msg):
-    "Report success/fail of test."
-    if cond:
-        print("PASS: %s" % (msg))
-    else:
-        print("FAIL: %s" % (msg))
-        global failcount
-        failcount += 1
 
 
 def fetch_xml_regmap():
@@ -75,6 +66,7 @@ def fetch_xml_regmap():
 
     return reg_map
 
+
 def get_register_by_regnum(reg_map, regnum):
     """
     Helper to find a register from the map via its XML regnum
@@ -84,6 +76,7 @@ def get_register_by_regnum(reg_map, regnum):
             return entry
     return None
 
+
 def crosscheck_remote_xml(reg_map):
     """
     Cross-check the list of remote-registers with the XML info.
@@ -144,6 +137,7 @@ def crosscheck_remote_xml(reg_map):
         elif "seen" not in x_reg:
             print(f"{x_reg} wasn't seen in remote-registers")
 
+
 def initial_register_read(reg_map):
     """
     Do an initial read of all registers that we know gdb cares about
@@ -214,27 +208,4 @@ def run_test():
         complete_and_diff(reg_map)
 
 
-#
-# This runs as the script it sourced (via -x, via run-test.py)
-#
-try:
-    inferior = gdb.selected_inferior()
-    arch = inferior.architecture()
-    print("ATTACHED: %s" % arch.name())
-except (gdb.error, AttributeError):
-    print("SKIPPING (not connected)", file=sys.stderr)
-    exit(0)
-
-if gdb.parse_and_eval('$pc') == 0:
-    print("SKIP: PC not set")
-    exit(0)
-
-try:
-    run_test()
-except (gdb.error):
-    print ("GDB Exception: %s" % (sys.exc_info()[0]))
-    failcount += 1
-    pass
-
-print("All tests complete: %d failures" % failcount)
-exit(failcount)
+main(run_test)
diff --git a/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/sha1.py b/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/sha1.py
index 416728415f..1ce711a402 100644
--- a/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/sha1.py
+++ b/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/sha1.py
@@ -7,19 +7,11 @@
 #
 
 import gdb
-import sys
+from test_gdbstub import main, report
+
 
 initial_vlen = 0
-failcount = 0
 
-def report(cond, msg):
-    "Report success/fail of test"
-    if cond:
-        print("PASS: %s" % (msg))
-    else:
-        print("FAIL: %s" % (msg))
-        global failcount
-        failcount += 1
 
 def check_break(sym_name):
     "Setup breakpoint, continue and check we stopped."
@@ -35,6 +27,7 @@ def check_break(sym_name):
 
     bp.delete()
 
+
 def run_test():
     "Run through the tests one by one"
 
@@ -57,28 +50,5 @@ def run_test():
     # finally check we don't barf inspecting registers
     gdb.execute("info registers")
 
-#
-# This runs as the script it sourced (via -x, via run-test.py)
-#
-try:
-    inferior = gdb.selected_inferior()
-    arch = inferior.architecture()
-    print("ATTACHED: %s" % arch.name())
-except (gdb.error, AttributeError):
-    print("SKIPPING (not connected)", file=sys.stderr)
-    exit(0)
 
-if gdb.parse_and_eval('$pc') == 0:
-    print("SKIP: PC not set")
-    exit(0)
-
-try:
-    # Run the actual tests
-    run_test()
-except (gdb.error):
-    print ("GDB Exception: %s" % (sys.exc_info()[0]))
-    failcount += 1
-    pass
-
-print("All tests complete: %d failures" % failcount)
-exit(failcount)
+main(run_test)
diff --git a/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/test-proc-mappings.py b/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/test-proc-mappings.py
index 04ec61d219..564613fabf 100644
--- a/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/test-proc-mappings.py
+++ b/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/test-proc-mappings.py
@@ -3,20 +3,7 @@
 This runs as a sourced script (via -x, via run-test.py)."""
 from __future__ import print_function
 import gdb
-import sys
-
-
-n_failures = 0
-
-
-def report(cond, msg):
-    """Report success/fail of a test"""
-    if cond:
-        print("PASS: {}".format(msg))
-    else:
-        print("FAIL: {}".format(msg))
-        global n_failures
-        n_failures += 1
+from test_gdbstub import main, report
 
 
 def run_test():
@@ -37,26 +24,4 @@ def run_test():
     # report("/sha1" in mappings, "Found the test binary name in the mappings")
 
 
-def main():
-    """Prepare the environment and run through the tests"""
-    try:
-        inferior = gdb.selected_inferior()
-        print("ATTACHED: {}".format(inferior.architecture().name()))
-    except (gdb.error, AttributeError):
-        print("SKIPPING (not connected)")
-        exit(0)
-
-    if gdb.parse_and_eval('$pc') == 0:
-        print("SKIP: PC not set")
-        exit(0)
-
-    try:
-        # Run the actual tests
-        run_test()
-    except gdb.error:
-        report(False, "GDB Exception: {}".format(sys.exc_info()[0]))
-    print("All tests complete: %d failures" % n_failures)
-    exit(n_failures)
-
-
-main()
+main(run_test)
diff --git a/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/test-qxfer-auxv-read.py b/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/test-qxfer-auxv-read.py
index 926fa962b7..00c26ab4a9 100644
--- a/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/test-qxfer-auxv-read.py
+++ b/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/test-qxfer-auxv-read.py
@@ -6,18 +6,8 @@
 #
 
 import gdb
-import sys
+from test_gdbstub import main, report
 
-failcount = 0
-
-def report(cond, msg):
-    "Report success/fail of test"
-    if cond:
-        print ("PASS: %s" % (msg))
-    else:
-        print ("FAIL: %s" % (msg))
-        global failcount
-        failcount += 1
 
 def run_test():
     "Run through the tests one by one"
@@ -26,28 +16,5 @@ def run_test():
     report(isinstance(auxv, str), "Fetched auxv from inferior")
     report(auxv.find("sha1"), "Found test binary name in auxv")
 
-#
-# This runs as the script it sourced (via -x, via run-test.py)
-#
-try:
-    inferior = gdb.selected_inferior()
-    arch = inferior.architecture()
-    print("ATTACHED: %s" % arch.name())
-except (gdb.error, AttributeError):
-    print("SKIPPING (not connected)", file=sys.stderr)
-    exit(0)
 
-if gdb.parse_and_eval('$pc') == 0:
-    print("SKIP: PC not set")
-    exit(0)
-
-try:
-    # Run the actual tests
-    run_test()
-except (gdb.error):
-    print ("GDB Exception: %s" % (sys.exc_info()[0]))
-    failcount += 1
-    pass
-
-print("All tests complete: %d failures" % failcount)
-exit(failcount)
+main(run_test)
diff --git a/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/test-thread-breakpoint.py b/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/test-thread-breakpoint.py
index e57d2a8db8..4d6b6b9fbe 100644
--- a/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/test-thread-breakpoint.py
+++ b/tests/tcg/multiarch/gdbstub/test-thread-breakpoint.py
@@ -6,18 +6,8 @@
 #
 
 import gdb
-import sys
+from test_gdbstub import main, report
 
-failcount = 0
-
-def report(cond, msg):
-    "Report success/fail of test"
-    if cond:
-        print ("PASS: %s" % (msg))
-    else:
-        print ("FAIL: %s" % (msg))
-        global failcount
-        failcount += 1
 
 def run_test():
     "Run through the tests one by one"
@@ -29,28 +19,5 @@ def run_test():
     frame = gdb.selected_frame()
     report(str(frame.function()) == "thread1_func", "break @ %s"%frame)
 
-#
-# This runs as the script it sourced (via -x, via run-test.py)
-#
-try:
-    inferior = gdb.selected_inferior()
-    arch = inferior.architecture()
-    print("ATTACHED: %s" % arch.name())
-except (gdb.error, AttributeError):
-    print("SKIPPING (not connected)", file=sys.stderr)
-    exit(0)
 
-if gdb.parse_and_eval('$pc') == 0:
-    print("SKIP: PC not set")
-    exit(0)
-
-try:
-    # Run the actual tests
-    run_test()
-except (gdb.error):
-    print ("GDB Exception: %s" % (sys.exc_info()[0]))
-    failcount += 1
-    pass
-
-print("All tests complete: %d failures" % failcount)
-exit(failcount)
+main(run_test)
diff --git a/tests/tcg/s390x/gdbstub/test-signals-s390x.py b/tests/tcg/s390x/gdbstub/test-signals-s390x.py
index ca2bbc0b03..b6b7b39fc4 100644
--- a/tests/tcg/s390x/gdbstub/test-signals-s390x.py
+++ b/tests/tcg/s390x/gdbstub/test-signals-s390x.py
@@ -7,19 +7,7 @@
 #
 
 import gdb
-import sys
-
-failcount = 0
-
-
-def report(cond, msg):
-    """Report success/fail of test"""
-    if cond:
-        print("PASS: %s" % (msg))
-    else:
-        print("FAIL: %s" % (msg))
-        global failcount
-        failcount += 1
+from test_gdbstub import main, report
 
 
 def run_test():
@@ -42,31 +30,7 @@ def run_test():
     gdb.Breakpoint("_exit")
     gdb.execute("c")
     status = int(gdb.parse_and_eval("$r2"))
-    report(status == 0, "status == 0");
+    report(status == 0, "status == 0")
 
 
-#
-# This runs as the script it sourced (via -x, via run-test.py)
-#
-try:
-    inferior = gdb.selected_inferior()
-    arch = inferior.architecture()
-    print("ATTACHED: %s" % arch.name())
-except (gdb.error, AttributeError):
-    print("SKIPPING (not connected)", file=sys.stderr)
-    exit(0)
-
-if gdb.parse_and_eval("$pc") == 0:
-    print("SKIP: PC not set")
-    exit(0)
-
-try:
-    # Run the actual tests
-    run_test()
-except (gdb.error):
-    print("GDB Exception: %s" % (sys.exc_info()[0]))
-    failcount += 1
-    pass
-
-print("All tests complete: %d failures" % failcount)
-exit(failcount)
+main(run_test)
diff --git a/tests/tcg/s390x/gdbstub/test-svc.py b/tests/tcg/s390x/gdbstub/test-svc.py
index 804705fede..17210b4e02 100644
--- a/tests/tcg/s390x/gdbstub/test-svc.py
+++ b/tests/tcg/s390x/gdbstub/test-svc.py
@@ -3,20 +3,7 @@
 This runs as a sourced script (via -x, via run-test.py)."""
 from __future__ import print_function
 import gdb
-import sys
-
-
-n_failures = 0
-
-
-def report(cond, msg):
-    """Report success/fail of a test"""
-    if cond:
-        print("PASS: {}".format(msg))
-    else:
-        print("FAIL: {}".format(msg))
-        global n_failures
-        n_failures += 1
+from test_gdbstub import main, report
 
 
 def run_test():
@@ -35,26 +22,4 @@ def run_test():
     gdb.execute("si")
 
 
-def main():
-    """Prepare the environment and run through the tests"""
-    try:
-        inferior = gdb.selected_inferior()
-        print("ATTACHED: {}".format(inferior.architecture().name()))
-    except (gdb.error, AttributeError):
-        print("SKIPPING (not connected)")
-        exit(0)
-
-    if gdb.parse_and_eval('$pc') == 0:
-        print("SKIP: PC not set")
-        exit(0)
-
-    try:
-        # Run the actual tests
-        run_test()
-    except gdb.error:
-        report(False, "GDB Exception: {}".format(sys.exc_info()[0]))
-    print("All tests complete: %d failures" % n_failures)
-    exit(n_failures)
-
-
-main()
+main(run_test)
